Upholding Tradition
by TigerButterflied
Summary: Snickers. Yeah, you heard me right. Nick tries to cheer Sara up, and in doing so receives a Christmas present he definitely wasn't expecting.


Upholding Tradition

My first Snickers. Not mine; insert full disclaimer here.

Dec.24, 2031

Nick Stokes smiled as he gently stroked the greying hair of the woman cradled in his arms. "Mmmm... that feels nice," whispered the lady in question, and he pulled her into a soft, slow kiss. Twenty-five years that very night, and the heat was still there, still the same slow, hot burn that had started so many years before. It had been shocking, and unexpected, and so unbelievably sweet, the primal reaction that had begun that night. To think how everything had changed in one night...

Dec. 24, 2006

End of shift, and Sara Sidle sighed as she clicked her locker door shut. It was a sad, defeated sound, one Nick Stokes did not like at all - especially from Sara, and on Christmas Eve at that. "What's wrong, Sara? You look like somebody just licked all the red off your lollipop."

"Nothing."

He watched her for a moment, then stepped closer. "That's crap and you know it."

"I really don't want to talk about it, Nick." She looked away, clearly fighting tears. "It's not like talking is likely to help."

He took her hand in his and squeezed. "Okay, then maybe breakfast with a friend will."

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, then finally spoke. "Okay."

Two hours later, they sat on Sara's sofa watching Animal Planet. "Ready to talk about it?"

She looked at him for a few moments. "Yeah. Maybe I am." She paused for a few moments, then spoke slowly. "You're from a big family."

He smiled and nodded. "Five sisters and one brother, all older than me. Yeah, I am."

"Both of my parents are dead. I, um, I have a brother. Haven't seen him for years, but he's out there. He hates me, though last I checked he was alive. It's taken a long time, but I'm at peace about that. Still, sometimes, sometimes not having anyone to care about does start to get to me, and Christmas, Christmas where everyone in the world is drawing close to family, sometimes I have a hard time with that."

"You have Grissom." Nick winced. That had come out sounding a lot harsher than he'd intended. "I mean, you two are in a relationship, after all."

"No, Nick, not any more. It never was much of a relationship to start with, but it ran its course within a few months."

Nick's eyebrows rose. "I'm sorry to hear that." He was anything but, and his voice made that clear. "Still, you have me."

Sara looked over at him, her expression dubious.

"I mean it, Sara. You mean the world to me. You should know that."

She smiled sadly. "Bet I'm like a sister to you, aren't I?"

"Nope." He took her hand and held in both of his. "Not like a sister at all." He pressed a kiss into her palm. "I'm not sure you want to know how I feel about you."

She swallowed hard. "I want to know, " she said sofly. "Tell me."

He looked at their joined hands. "You make me feel things I haven't felt for a long, long time. You make me want things I'd about given up on. So many times I've wanted to tell you, but I never did. I love you, Sara. I have for a while. I want to be more to you than a friend." He stroked her cheek. "I want to make you happy."

She bit her lip. "We can't. I... care about you, too, Nick. You're probably the best friend I've ever had, and as much as I'd like to be your lover I can't give that up for a few weeks as your latest bedroom toy. I'm sorry."

"Did you not hear anything I just said? I'm in love with you. Do you think I would say that if I didn't mean it?" He ran his hand over his sparsely-covered scalp and sighed. "Look, Sara, this might not mean anything to you, but you're only the third woman I've ever said that to. I'm not looking for a quick fling here. If I was, I wouldn't have picked my best friend for a lover." He stroked her cheek. "Sara, you tell me what I see in your eyes when you look at me is just friendship, and I'll drop this and never mention it again."

"You know I can't," she whispered. "I never have been able to lie to you."

"Then look at me, because I'm fixing to kiss you."

"Nick, I don't think you should... Mmmm..."

Christmas morning 2006

Sara nuzzled into her pillow and sighed. Her pillow chuckled, which caused her to notice rather heavy dusting of hair it seemed to have sprouted - that, and the fact that it was holding onto her.

"Morning, Sunshine!"

It all came back to her then - Nick's startling admission of how he felt, her response to his torrid kisses, the pile of discarded clothing in her living room. How they'd made love the first time on the living room floor, too inflamed to make it to the bed. She searched his eyes for regrets but found none - only warmth and happiness.

He swooped down and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. "Merry Christmas."

She glanced at the clock. "Crap! We have to be at work in two hours." She glanced at him. "You're already dressed."

"I woke up and grabbed a shower, got a change of clothes out of my truck. Hurry up and shower, and I'll buy you breakfast." He pulled her up into his arms. "Last night was without a doubt the best Christmas present I've ever gotten."

"I could say the same thing to you."

"You definitely need to give me the same thing next year."

She smiled. "I'll have to keep that in mind..."

Dec. 24th, 2031

"So, do I get to unwrap my present a few hours early?" Nick pulled at the top button of her blue flannel nightgown.

Sara chuckled. "You always do. It's almost a tradition."

He smiled as he rolled on top of her. "You're right, and I've always believed in tradition..."

"Merry Christmas, Nick. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sara. I love you, too."


End file.
